Precious metals news

Peter was recently featured on Real America hosted by Dan Ball.
It's no secret that the government has been spending more than it collects, and there are indications that the Biden administration is addressing this issue.

The U.S. Mint has sold nearly 5 million Silver Eagles in the first three weeks of the year compared to only 87,500 oz of Gold Eagles.  This is a Big trend change compared to the previous three years, as the Silver-to-Gold Eagle buying ratio has more than doubled...

Mike highlights the economic perplexities surrounding this decision and questions the implications of creating “free currency.”

China's gold market witnessed a notable surge in 2023 despite the country's economic recovery facing challenges and consumer spending remaining cautious. The Shanghai Gold Benchmark Price PM saw a significant 17% increase. Gold withdrawals from the Shanghai Gold Exchange rose to 1,687 tons, a 7% year-over-year increase. Impressively, Chinese gold ETFs attracted an additional RMB 5 billion (around US$654 million), pushing their total assets under management to a record RMB 29 billion (US$4 billion), with holdings increasing by 10 tons to 62 tons. The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) consistently purchased gold throughout the year, increasing their reserves by 225 tons to a total of 2,235 tons. This robust demand, coupled with stable production and a drop in imports late in the year, led to unprecedented local gold price premiums.

The president touted a manufacturing renaissance. However, economic indices show US manufacturing entering a Dark Age. Home sales are not looking bright, either.

This week, two significant economic reports are poised to shape the Federal Reserve's approach to interest rate policy, amid growing market skepticism about imminent rate cuts. Firstly, the Commerce Department's initial estimate of the fourth-quarter GDP for 2023 is set to be released on Thursday. Experts predict a modest 1.7% growth, marking the slowest pace since the 0.6% decline in Q2 of 2022. This data will provide a comprehensive overview of the U.S. economic growth in the final quarter of 2023. Following this, the Commerce Department will unveil the December reading of the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index on Friday. This index, a crucial measure for the Fed, is anticipated to show a 0.2% increase for the month and a 3% rise for the year, excluding the volatile food and energy sectors. These reports will be key in determining the Fed's future monetary policy direction and are likely to significantly impact market reactions.

A recent study by the Groundwork Collaborative highlights a striking trend in the current economic landscape: over half of the inflation surge in the past year is attributed to 'greedflation,' a phenomenon where corporations leverage excessive profit-taking. Despite a decrease in the overall pace of consumer inflation, it has settled around 3%, with recent months seeing unexpected rises. This trend persists even as prices for wholesalers show stability or decline, indicating that the inflationary pressures are not entirely driven by market fundamentals. The study's findings emphasize that corporate profits are at record highs, suggesting a link between these profits and the sustained inflation rates.

According to the EIA, total World Petroleum Supply reached a record high in September 2023, surpassing the previous peak in November 2018.  However, there's a CATCH.  While the total world petroleum liquid supply hit a new high, crude oil production is down considerably...

In the last few decades, there has been a global shift towards a "cashless world," a trend that continues to shape financial autonomy. Physical currency is becoming increasingly rare as the majority of the world's money supply exists in electronic form. Governments and financial institutions are actively promoting a cashless society, raising concerns about individual financial freedom.

In the realm of institutional asset management, the copper/gold ratio (blue line) has served as a key indicator for some, providing insights into the potential trajectory of 10-year Treasury yields (red line).

The real estate market witnessed a significant downturn in December, with sales of previously owned homes dropping 1% from November to 3.78 million units, adjusted seasonally and annualized. This decline marks a 6.2% decrease compared to December 2022, reaching the lowest point since August 2010. The year 2023 closed with only 4.09 million units sold, the weakest performance since 1995. Regionally, sales remained flat in the Northeast but fell in other areas, with a 4.3% decrease in the Midwest, a 2.8% drop in the South, and though the West saw a 7.8% increase. These numbers reflect home closings from contracts likely signed in late October and November, a period when mortgage rates were considerably higher, peaking at around 8% in October before dropping to the 7% range in November. The current rate stands at 6.89%, as per Mortgage News Daily.

Gold futures have had a rocky start in 2024, dropping over 2.5% by January 18 to their lowest levels since early December. This decline is partly due to market adjustments in predictions of when the Federal Reserve might reduce interest rates, leading to higher bond yields and a stronger dollar, both of which are challenging the demand for precious metals. Even escalating geopolitical tensions have not been able to boost gold prices.

A startling disconnect as we edge closer to the 2024 general election: On one hand, so-called “experts” parade optimistic economic reports, but for the average American, the story is starkly different. In heated debates, economists squabble over whether the public is hoodwinking pollsters or if mysterious forces are at play.
Our guest columnist reveals a shocking truth: our government is playing a smoke-and mirrors-game with the economy. It's subtler than making up numbers. They’re pumping up GDP and job figures through hefty spending and hiring. Unlike the struggling private sector, the government can spend tax dollars and create deficit-financed jobs without having to prove their worth:

In this week's Friday Gold Wrap Podcast, JD and Joel discuss why gold is up today, "doom spending," and other market and precious metals news.

Recent attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea have caused disruptions in the Suez Canal, a crucial maritime route handling 12% of global container traffic. This poses a potential risk to the European economy, which is already grappling with high inflation and teetering on the brink of a mild recession. Prolonged disruption in this key shipping lane could threaten the economic outlook of Europe and potentially affect central banks' plans to reduce interest rates this year. However, so far, the impact on Europe's economy has been minimal. Germany's Economy Ministry noted only minor effects on delivery times, and the Bank of England's Andrew Bailey also acknowledged limited impact but expressed concern about ongoing uncertainties.

The S&P 500 is inching towards a record high, accompanied by rises in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite. This growth occurs alongside a decrease in Treasury yields. Metal prices are on the rise as the U.S. dollar weakens, despite robust U.S. retail sales and reduced expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Key metals like copper, aluminum, nickel, and zinc are all seeing price increases, with copper at $8,361.50 per metric ton and aluminum at $2,177 a ton. Gold also climbed 0.4% to $2,029.60 per troy ounce.

There's nothing like a little "MAGIC" to help deceive the public into believing something FAKE is REAL.  And, that is precisely what is happening with newly inflated U.S. Crude Oil Production, as evidence of shale oil depletion has finally kicked in...

Recently, gold has become a focal point for investors, peaking at a record high of $2,100 per ounce in early December. This surge in value led to a significant increase in investor interest and portfolio additions. However, there's been a shift in this trend over the past week. This new decline, largely attributed to strong economic data and changing market expectations, might raise doubts about investing in gold. Yet, CBSNews shares 5 reasons this drop in prices presents a compelling reason to consider investing in gold now, offering a strategic entry point for potential investors.

Goldman Sachs Group forecasts a notable increase in global debt yields, driven by escalated government borrowing and central bank actions to downsize their balance sheets. In a recent report, the financial giant's analysis of major developed bond markets, excluding Japan, indicates a direct correlation between public debt and yield rates. For every one percentage point rise in the public debt-to-GDP ratio, medium-term yields are expected to jump by a minimum of two basis points throughout this decade. This prediction notably omits government bonds currently held by central banks, suggesting a broader impact on global financial markets due to these fiscal maneuvers.

The U.S. labor market has hit a new milestone with initial jobless claims dropping to their lowest level since September 2022. The Labor Department's recent report reveals that for the week ending January 13, 2024, jobless claims plummeted to 187,000, surpassing analysts' expectations of 208,000. This decline marks a significant 16,000 reduction from the previous week and stands as a testament to the enduring strength of the labor market. Notably, this robust labor market performance continues despite the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes aimed at cooling the economy and easing the jobs market. Additionally, the report also highlights a surprising drop in continuing claims, which fell by 26,000, bringing the total to 1.806 million, below the expected 1.83 million.